Overview

Messaging inside Packet Storm has a very specific design. We do not allow our users to arbitrarily message other users. As accounts are free and easy to obtain, doing so would open up the floodgates to SEO spammers and other malicious activity.

We force our users to be complicit with each other. So instead of open messaging, if you follow someone on their profile page and they decide to follow you as well, you will be able to send each other messages. If at any time either party stops following the other, messages can no longer be exchanged.

Upon account creation, you may notice you are immediately being followed by System Operators (SysOps) and you are also following SysOp(s). SysOps (or administrators, or root, or whatever you would like to call them) can help you. Feel free to send them messages if you have a question about the site or need help with something. Note that if you decide to unfollow SysOps, you will no longer be able to send them a message. If your behavior is considered abusive and/or disruptive, SysOps can choose to unfollow you as well or disable your account at their discretion.

Accessing your mailbox

To access your messages, simply click on the envelope at the top of your screen to be taken to your mailbox. It will look something like this:



Where to start

Once in your mailbox, you will see this:



The Index button will take you to a list of your open threads with users. Threads will be listed in the blue box. If you don't have any previous threads, it will note as such. To start a conversation, simply click on the profile of a user who both follows you and is followed by you. You will then land on a page with a chat box:


Note that thread deletion is permanent. Either party on a given thread can delete the thread at any time, and both parties will lose all content. Further, for messages, all data is encrypted at rest, with the key residing outside of the database — you know, normal defense-in-depth design that does not take shortcuts with your privacy.